St John’s Anglican Church in Hororata is the third building to be used as a place of worship in the small farming community.

The first religious services in Hororata began in 1866. They were held in the living room a cob cottage belonging to Bentley Coton, Hororata’s first smallholder. Bentley, from Yorkshire, and his wife, Sarah Jane, arrived from England on the ship ‘Mystery’ in 1859.

Bentley and Sarah lived in the cottage until his death in 1913. Coton Cottage can still be visited in Hororata, although access is limited due to damage caused by the 7.1 Canterbury Earthquake. The nearby Museum is, however, open on fine Sunday’s from 1.30pm, September through May.

In around 1881, a wooden church called St John’s was erected in Hororata. It was built by Jesse Prestidge, an involved and well-known character in the region. Prestidge ran a brewery in Hororata.

To make way for today’s stone building, the wooden church was moved to a spot across the road (where it remains today and is used as a village hall) and the current church erected and consecrated in 1911. Its construction was made possible by a bequest of $10,000 by one-time New Zealand premier Sir John Hall in his Will.

Unfortunately, St John’s was extensively damaged in the 7.1 Canterbury Earthquake on September 4, 2010. Masonry from the tower crashed through the roof. The church pipe organ, originally installed in Christchurch Cathedral, was smashed to pieces. Some of the headstones have been toppled or damaged, but many remain, and are listed below.

Please consider a small donation to keep the site and the work going

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BARSON, Emma (d. 12th November, 1912). Also her husband Thomas (d. 28th May, 1913). Thomas, a gardener, commited suicide with a shotgun. According to NZ Truth, Thomas killed himself rather than face charges, although the nature of his offence is not noted.

BARSON, Margaret (d. 20th February, 1910). Daughter of T & C BARSON.

BARSON – Rosie, Frederick and Willie. Infant children of Thomas and Emma BARSON. (No dates on memorial). New Zealand BMD info gives Frederick’s year of death as 1886 (age 17 months) and Willie’s year of death as 1889 (age 3 hours). No record found as yet for Rosie.

ROBINSON, William Edward (d. 22nd November, 1918). Age 30. William was a miner and served in Egypt, 1916, and on the Western Front, 1917-18.

RONALDSON, Catherine Miln (d. 1st August, 1891). Also her husband Rev. James RONALDSON (d. 20th March, 1910). Also their son, James (d. 14th May, 1879) age 19. Catherine (nee Miln) was one of the first settlers, arriving on the Sir George Seymour on 16th December, 1850. She is the sister of another early settler, John Miln. Catherine was born in Perthshire, Scotland. In 1858, Catherine left New Zealand for Scotland where she married Rev. James RONALDSON. She and her husband and family returned to New Zealand on the Dunedin in 1887, her husband having given up his position in Scotland due to ill health. They moved to a 400 acre farm near Hororata.

ROSEVEARE, Francis (d. 27th February, 1929). Age 26. Son of Samuel and E.

SWAN, Michelle Gaye (20th Nov – 2nd Dec 1959).

TEAGUE, Maggie (d. 24th October, 1901). Age 24. Newspaper reports of the death cites Maggie as the daughter of Thomas Kilby of Hororata and that she was the wife of W. Teague. However, on her headstone is inscribed “Erected by her father T. Keltie”.

TROUP, John (d. 16th February, 1899). Erected by his mother.

WATSON, Elizabeth Manson (d. 18th October, 1891). Age 31. Wife of William WATSON. Also their infant son David Archibald (d. 10th September, 1891) age 1 day.

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10 thoughts on “Hororata – St John’s Anglican Church”

Great website. Im looking for Stacey burials. They were in Hororata certainly from 1893 through to at least 1903. The first mention I haveof this family is in 1875-76 when they were at Selwyn Forks. William Stacey and his brothers John and Daniel plus brother in laws William Sleeman and Henry Barker all lived in the area in these early days. Sadly I havent found any burials of the children I know died during this period on the Council database.

I understand that my mother’s baby sister, Winifred Herbert, was buried here in 1912. I am not sure if there was ever a headstone. Could you tell me who would have a plan of the cemetery so that we could find the site.
Many thanks
Sheryl Burns